Rainfall deficiencies persist along east coast & in parts of inland
southeastern Australia

The Bureau of Meteorology announced today that, for the period since
the start of April, severe
rainfall deficiencies
remain along the east coast and adjacent ranges following another month
with falls generally below the long-term average. In addition, rainfall
deficiencies for the year to date persist across some inland areas of
southeastern Australia, although the situation eased somewhat in
comparison with conditions at the end of August.

6-month rainfall deficiencies

For the 6-month period from April to September,
severe rainfall deficiencies are evident along the east coast and Great
Dividing Range from Proserpine on Queensland’s central coast, to Bega
in southern NSW (see map). A small area between Sydney and Newcastle has
recorded its driest April to September on record, as has a region on the
far northern NSW coast between Yamba and the Queensland border. Above
average September falls reduced deficiencies from severe to serious in
the Wide Bay and Burnett districts in Queensland, and in parts of the
Central Highlands, also in Queensland. Very much below average September
rainfall in southern WA, caused a modest expansion of the areas affected
by rainfall deficiencies since April.

9-month rainfall deficiencies

For the 9-month period from January to
September, serious to severe rainfall deficiencies affect parts of
Queensland’s central and Capricornia coasts between Mackay and Rockhampton,
the ACT and southeast NSW south of Newcastle (overlapping with the 6-month
deficits), as well as parts of the Lower Western, Riverina and Southwest
Slopes. Record low falls have occurred in a patch just south of the ACT.
Above average rainfall in central and northern Victoria during September
was sufficient to remove the deficiencies in those areas. Sydney’s
year-to-date total is 360 mm below average, while at Canberra Airport the
total since the 1st of January stands at 222 mm, which is just 50% of the
long-term average and the third driest January to September period on
record in the nation’s capital. The record low is 177 mm set in 1944.